David Simmons

Republican Rep. Scott Plakon, locked in a close race with Democrat Karen Castor Dentel, is putting his original television ad back on the air for the final few days of the campaign in House District 30. The spot focuses on legislation Plakon, R-Longwood,...

While the potential loss of future Republican House Speaker Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, has understandably drawn all the attention, it wasn't the only eyebrow-raising result last night in Seminole County. In a neighboring state House district, for...

Outgoing House Speaker Dean Cannon will be back in Winter Park tomorrow night for a fundraiser to help Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood. Cannon and Winter Park Mayor Ken Bradley are the headliners at the reception for Plakon, who is locked in a tough re-...

  There seems to be a big difference off opinion on what kind of job Sen. David Simmons is doing in the state Legislature. Last night the Florida School Boards Association named him Outstanding Legislator of the Year. Today, Fund Education Now, a...

There's a big candidates forum scheduled for next week in Longwood, with eight candidates for  legislative seats that include parts of Orange and Seminole counties scheduled to appear. The Tri-County League of Cities and the Florida League of Cities are...

This is why Florida is the butt of the nation's jokes. We can't count our votes on time. The road to CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus' downfall veered straight off Interstate 4 and into the mansion of "Tampa Kardashian" Jill Kelley. We order...

In local public-affairs programming this weekend: ***”Flashpoint” looks at the Florida amendments on the Nov. 6 ballot. Moderator Lauren Rowe will talk to state Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs; Deirdre Macnab, president of the League...

TALLAHASSEE — Responding to an election field upended by redistricting, Florida corporations and interest-groups are flooding a record amount of cash into legislative races that will help finance a blizzard of ads and fliers during the coming...

Seminole County reporter Martin Comas reports the following: There were few surprises Thursday night when Mitt Romney, Connie Mack IV and other Republican candidates came out ahead in a straw poll conducted from those attending a political hob nob...

On the public-affairs front this weekend: U.S. Reps. John Mica and Sandy Adams, who are running for the same congressional seat in the Aug. 14 Republican primary, are guests this weekend on WFTV-Channel 9's “Central Florida Spotlight.” ...

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Chamber of Commerce, the most well-heeled business lobby in the Capitol, has issued its legislative endorsements, and the roster includes a few head-turners in Central Florida. The Chamber is endorsing Victoria Siplin,...

TALLAHASSEE — Lieutenant Gov. Jennifer Carroll kicked off the first meeting of Gov. Rick Scott's public safety task force on the defense. “It is a mischaracterization for anyone to presume this task force is not balanced,” Carroll said....